Humanitarian Action

The Mission

The McCain Institute’s commitment to strengthening character-driven global leadership is reflected in its own efforts to support humanitarian action. Inspired by Mrs. Cindy McCain’s life-long support of humanitarian causes, the Institute is focusing initially on the critical...

The McCain Institute’s commitment to strengthening character-driven global leadership is reflected in its own efforts to support humanitarian action. Inspired by Mrs. Cindy McCain’s life-long support of humanitarian causes, the Institute is focusing initially on the critical... Read More

At the McCain Institute, we have set five specific goals to accomplish over the next three years Create the first comprehensive estimate of human trafficking in the United States, based on original research and data collection and integrationEstablish a web-based clearinghouse on... Read More

The McCain Institute and the Human Rights Project for Girls (Rights4Girls), with support from Google, have joined forces to launch the No Such Thing campaign with one mission: To make clear that there is no such thing as a child prostitute. There are only victims and survivors of child... Read More

It is widely reported that predatory sex traffickers and willing customers convene in the host cities of national events like the Super Bowl to negotiate the price of their victims. Data on the link between sex trafficking and the Super Bowl, however, is limited - to the extent that... Read More

Much has been said about the impact of the Super Bowl on sex trafficking, most of which indicates it is a key variable leading to a dramatic increase in commercial sexual exploitation and victimization. Recent reports and dozens of news articles strongly point to the Super Bowl as the... Read More

Human trafficking is unquestionably a human rights violation, but it also thrives on national security vulnerabilities—fraudulent documents, porous borders, and money laundering, to name a few. Some argue that it is the second largest source of profits for international organized... Read More

The McCain Institute is committed to contributing to strengthening anti-trafficking legislation, including its implementation, in Arizona and the greater Mountain States. We are proud to partner with the Polaris Project, as well as other local, state, and national anti-trafficking... Read More

This report presents findings from the first ever analysis of Fortune 100 companies’ publicly available policies on three key human rights issues associated with the global economy: forced labor, human trafficking, and the trade in conflict minerals. Our project team reviewed company... Read More

The first step towards tackling a problem is to understand it better. Yet, there is currently limited reliable, nationwide data on human trafficking. Most information about human trafficking is fragmented and anecdotal, and even this is rarely shared across organizations. Accordingly,... Read More

The most important factor in decision-making and bringing about long-term change is the quality of leaders in place who make those decisions. The McCain Institute is committed to identifying, training, supporting, networking, and fostering growth within the next generation of global... Read More

The purpose of this innovative pilot study was to establish an incidence rate of sexually exploited youth receiving delinquency residential or outpatient services in Arizona. The goals of this study are to better understand the scope and magnitude of the sexually exploited and sex... Read More

Fri, July 24, 2015

TO THE MARKET is as a much a platform for beautifully crafted accessories as it is one for life-changing stories. A truly unique e-commerce site that allows customers to shop by causes or countries, TO THE MARKET only features products made by survivors of human trafficking and other... Read More

Mon, July 13, 2015

Like so many working to eradicate human trafficking, I am heartened by the actions of MasterCard, Visa and American Express. Their corporate decisions to end the use of their credit cards for payment for sex ads on backpage.com are to be applauded.It is a huge step in the right... Read More

Thu, July 02, 2015

Child sex trafficking victims will have much-needed resources provided to them through the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act (JVTA), which was recently signed into law. And because of leaders like Sen. Amy Klobuchar who helped pass it in Congress, the buyers of child... Read More

Tue, June 30, 2015

When a 12-year-old Rochester girl received a text about a party, she thought it was from a friend. The message told her to meet at the local McDonald's.Lee A. Paul, 34, enticed her into his vehicle and drove her to the Twin Cities, where he raped her and took sexually explicit photos... Read More

Fri, June 26, 2015

BISMARCK, N.D. – U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today brought Cindy McCain, an international leader in the fight against national and global human trafficking, to Bismarck to talk with local community leaders, advocates, and law enforcement about collective efforts to combat these... Read More

Wed, June 24, 2015

WILLISTON, N.D. --A global advocate for fighting human trafficking will tour western North Dakota this weekend and meet with community leaders about best practices to combat modern day slavery.Cindy McCain, hosted by U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., will hold a series of meetings,... Read More

Mon, June 01, 2015

Human rights attorney Malika Saada Saar, 44, has spent much of her life working to make the world safer for women and girls. But it wasn’t until she became a mother that her passion for protecting others turned profoundly personal. “It became a visceral drive,” says the mother of... Read More

Fri, April 10, 2015

Google, The McCain Institute and Rights4Girls joined together with Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) today to discuss ways they can work together to combat child sex trafficking in Texas and across the United States. The discussion covered everything from the No Such Thing campaign launched... Read More

Tue, March 10, 2015

Congress has a rare opportunity this week to pass bipartisan legislation to crack down on child sex trafficking in the United States. The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act (JVTA) seeks to end the culture of impunity that protects and perpetuates the trafficking of children for... Read More

Mon, March 09, 2015

“We can change all the laws we want—but until we change the attitudes and respect for human beings, all this work is for nothing,” said Cindy McCain, head of the McCain Institute’s Human Trafficking Advisory Council, at a recent panel discussion at The Heritage... Read More

Tue, February 24, 2015

PHOENIX (February 24, 2015) – A study of sex trafficking during the week leading up to the 2015 Super Bowl found the number of online sex ads grew 30 percent from 2014. Conducted by the Office of Sex Trafficking Intervention Research at Arizona State University, the study shows the... Read More

Tue, February 24, 2015

PHOENIX - We are learning just how big of an issue sex trafficking was at the Super Bowl.A new study shows all numbers were on the rise.Online sex ads actually increased by 30 percent. The number of people responding to sex ads was up 20%.Read full article here.

Tue, February 24, 2015

For the second year in a row, Arizona State University researchers have found no evidence that the Super Bowl triggers a spike in commercial sex sales, contradicting claims often asserted by police and politicians.However, it did find that the online market for prostitution,... Read More

Tue, February 24, 2015

PHOENIX – An increase in sex advertisements and solicitations in the Phoenix area can't be directly linked to the 2015 Super Bowl, but the issue is part of an ongoing problem with sex trafficking in the region, Arizona State University researchers said Monday.A two-year study... Read More

Thu, February 19, 2015

Praescient Analytics, an organization which applies analytic technologies and methodologies to solve complex information challenges, is continuing its ongoing human trafficking research effort in partnership with the McCain Institute and the Arizona State University School of Social... Read More

Wed, February 18, 2015

PHOENIX – A survey that identified 165 sex-trafficking victims currently in the Maricopa County adult probation system illustrates the need for services such as drug and alcohol treatment to help them break free, a researcher said Wednesday.“To understand that 165 victims exist... Read More

Fri, January 30, 2015

I first met Rebecca when she was 14 and arrested for prostitution. Although most youth offenders charged with non-violent crimes remain at home while on probation, that wasn't an option for Rebecca. Both of her parents had substance abuse problems and lengthy prison records. Her... Read More

Thu, January 29, 2015

Cindy McCain and The McCain Institute have a dedicated mission to stopping human trafficking right here in the United States. Large-scale events, such as the Super Bowl, have a seedy underbelly and are notorious for illicit sexual activity, such as trafficking and prostitution. McCain... Read More

Thu, January 29, 2015

We see the term "child prostitute" used every day. But there is no such thing. There are many children who are repeatedly raped and trafficked for sex.More than 1,000 children are arrested on prostitution or prostitution-related charges in the U.S. and placed in juvenile detention... Read More

Tue, January 27, 2015

When many Americans think about sex trafficking, they often envision brothels in foreign cities or girls being smuggled across far away borders. But what many may not realize is that this isn't just happening a world away, it's happening right in our own backyard. Over 80 percent of... Read More

Mon, January 26, 2015

Every year over a quarter of a million children are at-risk to be trafficked in the U.S. according to a 2011 report from the FBI, but often they're arrested instead of helped. Cindy McCain & Malika Saada Saar discuss what needs to change, and how. Watch the full interview here.

Mon, January 26, 2015

Across the United States, there are markets for sex with children that are not terribly dissimilar to ones in Cambodia, Thailand, and India. Girls are sold for sex in this country with the same disregard for human dignity as those other nations, and they are often tortured in the same... Read More

Mon, January 26, 2015

When police came upon a 13-year-old girl selling sex in North Hollywood, they promptly handcuffed her, arrested her and hauled her off to detention. As is the case in many states, juvenile prostitution carries a sentence of up to two years in California, according to The Washington... Read More

Fri, January 23, 2015

Children sold for sex should never be called prostitutes but victims of sexual abuse, according to campaigners seeking to strike the term "child prostitution" from official records.Campaigners in Britain and the United States are leading the fight against the term child prostitute... Read More

Tue, January 13, 2015

Children sold for sex are crime victims and should not be branded as prostitutes, anti-slavery advocates said on Thursday in launching a U.S. campaign to raise awareness of child sex trafficking and to change how its victims are treated.The term “child prostitute” implies that... Read More

Mon, January 12, 2015

From high-power meetings in the nation’s capital to a life-altering trip to India, Jane Mosbacher Morris’ journey into entrepreneurship is underlined by her desire to help others find dignified work opportunities.The Texas-native began her career working in the U.S State Department... Read More

Wed, January 07, 2015

The fight against human trafficking will get a visible boost in the Valley for the next eight weeks with a campaign that seeks to raise awareness about the problem by placing dozens of billboards in the Phoenix metro area.The 60 billboards are designed to take advantage of the... Read More

Thu, December 18, 2014

When Jane Mosbacher Morris took her first job at the U.S. State Department, she thought she would be dealing with matters of national security for her entire career. Several years at the State Department, one MBA from Columbia, and a stint as the Director of Humanitarian Action at the... Read More

Wed, November 26, 2014

Playing on the success of the program at Arizona's last Super Bowl, the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee hopes introducing CEOs from around the world to what the state offers pays off again.In 2008, the CEO Forum convinced billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong to invest heavily in Arizona... Read More

Fri, October 17, 2014

Cindy McCain and Ernie Allen spoke about human trafficking at the Walter Cronkite School on Thursday night, calling trafficking an issue with a global impact that can only be reduced with increased awareness.“We are taking you on a journey,” McCain said. “To better understanding... Read More

Tue, October 07, 2014

By Cindy McCain The issue of human trafficking has exploded into the headlines in recent years. State and federal legislation has been passed helping to define trafficking more specifically and prosecute traffickers, while services enabling victims to lead productive lives, safely... Read More

Tue, May 27, 2014

Law-enforcement and service agencies from throughout the state have been trained in how to recognize human-trafficking victims in recent years, but a study of teens in Arizona's juvenile justice system has raised some concerns about whether that information is reaching the right... Read More

Tue, May 20, 2014

The 17-year-old girl was lured in by a pimp and forced to have sex for money. She worked for three nightmarish weeks, until the pimp told her that he'd sold her to another pimp in Dallas.He said he would hurt her, hurt her family if she didn't go. ,"This is the point when you can give... Read More

Thu, May 08, 2014

When Gov. Jan Brewer signed HB2454 into law on April 22, she said, “This is a proud and significant day for Arizona, particularly for those who have been personally affected by the horrendous crime of human trafficking. There is much more work to be done in our fight to eliminate... Read More

Tue, April 29, 2014

WASHINGTON, DC –U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) and Cindy McCain led a panel discussion on international sex trafficking at the McCain Institute for International Leadership’s annual Sedona Forum in Arizona. The global issues conference is an annual... Read More

Tue, March 25, 2014

PHOENIX – Governor Jan Brewer has established by Executive Order the Arizona Human Trafficking Council, addressing one of the key priorities highlighted in the governor’s 2014 State of the State and policy agenda.“Human trafficking is a despicable crime affecting some of our most... Read More

Thu, March 06, 2014

Connected via the McCain Institute’s Decision Theater, Mrs. Cindy McCain and researchers Dr. Dominique Roe-Sepowitz of the School of Social Work at ASU and police Lt. James Gallagher released a study on sex trafficking during the Super Bowl and other major sporting events today,... Read More

Wed, March 05, 2014

More than 820 online ads for prostitution in the New York City and New Jersey area in the days before last month's Super Bowl may have involved victims of sex traffickers, according to a study to be released this week by John McCain's Institute for International Leadership.Fifty of the... Read More

Thu, February 27, 2014

More than 800 online ads selling sex in New York and New Jersey during this month's Super Bowl were believed to involve women and girls forced into prostitution by sex traffickers, Cindy McCain testified at a House hearing Wednesday.McCain, who co-chairs the Arizona governor's Task... Read More

Mon, February 03, 2014

Amy Klobuchar is a Democratic senator from Minnesota and authored the Stop Exploitation Through Trafficking Act. Cindy McCain is co-chair of the Arizona governor’s task force on human trafficking. Joy Friedman was 15 years old when she was first sold for sex. A pimp found her and... Read More

Fri, January 31, 2014

Sitting in an operations center outside Washington, Josh Gearheart and his team have spent the last week tracing the digital footprints of Super Bowl sex traffickers with the same technology he once used to hunt insurgents in Afghanistan.
A former Army intelligence officer,... Read More

Tue, October 15, 2013

As co-chairs of the Governor’s Task Force on Human Trafficking, we were pleased to submit our final report and recommendations. Task force members worked tirelessly to take a hard look at the anti-trafficking legislative, administrative and training practices in Arizona to determine... Read More

Fri, September 06, 2013

Cindy McCain and former Mexican first lady Marta Sahagún de Fox will be discussing immigration and human trafficking next week in Peoria. The women, who have supported humanitarian causes, will speak at a breakfast Thursday, Sept. 12, at Peoria’s Public Safety Administration... Read More

Anti-Trafficking Program Coordinator

Charlotte Lapp is the Anti-Trafficking Program Coordinator for The McCain Institute for International Leadership. As Program Coordinator, Ms. Lapp works with the Institute’s Strategic Advisor, the Director for Arizona Initiatives and the Senior Coordinator for Human Trafficking... Read More

McCain Institute Humanitarian Action Fellow

Alexandra Gastelum is the Humanitarian Action Fellow for The McCain Institute for International Leadership. In this role, Ms. Gastelum supports the Strategic Advisor, Director of Arizona Initiatives and the Senior Human Trafficking Coordinator to develop and advance The McCain... Read More

Humanitarian Action Intern

Erin Schulte is one of the Humanitarian Action Interns at The McCain Institute and a junior studying Global Studies and Political Science at Arizona State University’s Barrett, the Honors College. Ms. Schulte has worked to combat human trafficking in Arizona through community... Read More

Senior Human Trafficking Coordinator

Lindsay Scornavacco serves as the Senior Human Trafficking Coordinator for The McCain Institute. In this role she supports the Director of Arizona Initiatives to further the Institute’s anti-human trafficking efforts. Prior to joining The McCain Institute, Ms. Scornavacco acted as... Read More

Director of Arizona Initiatives

Claire Sechler Merkel is the Director of Arizona Initiatives for The McCain Institute for International Leadership, a part of Arizona State University. She served as Director of Friends and Family and Chief of Staff to Mrs. Cindy McCain during the 2008 Presidential Election campaign,... Read More

Ernie Allen is a world leader in the fight against child abduction, sexual exploitation, sexual violence and human trafficking. He was founder of the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC), a private, nonprofit organization which is leading the global effort to... Read More

​Letty Ashworth is Director, Global Diversity for Delta Air Lines. In this role, she is a key leader in Delta’s global strategy to develop an efficient, effective, and diverse workforce that reflects the rapidly changing demographics of an increasingly interconnected world. She... Read More

​Charles R. Black is Chairman of Prime Policy Group, and was the founder of the firm’s predecessor, BKSH & Associates Worldwide. Charlie is widely recognized as one of the nation’s leading public affairs professionals. Serving as a principal legislative and public affairs advisor... Read More

​Swanee Hunt’s mission is to achieve gender parity, especially as a means to end war and rebuild societies, as well as to alleviate poverty and other human suffering. At Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, Hunt is the Eleanor Roosevelt Lecturer in Public Policy. In 1997, she... Read More

Co-Founder of Thorn, Ashton Kutcher is an actor, entrepreneur, tech investor and philanthropist – focused on using technology to effect positive changes in the world. The goal of Thorn: Digital Defenders of Children, is to drive technology innovation to fight the sexual exploitation... Read More

Cindy Hensley McCain has dedicated her life to improving the lives of those less fortunate both in the United States and around the world. Cindy is known for lending her time and talent to increase awareness of international charity organizations and the work that they do to make the... Read More

Jane Mosbacher Morris is the Founder and CEO of TO THE MARKET | Survivor-made Goods, a social enterprise focused on the promotion of goods made by and stories told by survivors of conflict, abuse, and disease. She previously served as the Director of Humanitarian Action for the... Read More

Marilyn Carlson Nelson is former chairman and CEO of Carlson, a global travel and hospitality company headquartered in Minneapolis, which includes Radisson Blu, Radisson Red, Park Plaza, Park Inn, Country Inns & Suites and Carlson Wagonlit Travel. Nelson has appeared on the Forbes... Read More

Randy Newcomb is President and CEO of Humanity United, one of the largest private donors in the field of international human rights. Founded by Pam and Pierre Omidyar, Humanity United seeks to build peace and advance human freedom in the corners of the globe where these ideals are... Read More

Gilbert Orrantia became the Director of the Arizona Department of Homeland Security in June, 2009. Prior to heading Arizona’s Homeland Security efforts at the State, he served in the FBI for 26 years. Mr. Orrantia brings a national and global perspective on counterterrorism that is... Read More